Balloon Fiesta, Post 6: Mass Ascension – Lift Off (Videos)

It was hard to take photos and videos while keeping track of everything else going on. Here’s a video I was taking of a balloon slowly taking off, when suddenly I found myself totally in the way of another balloon. “Behind you!” someone shouts, and that’s me you hear saying “Oh my gosh,” as the video ends with a blurry shot of John’s shoes.

Here’s another. A zebra-striped official clears the crowds, and the balloon barely clears the crowds’ heads.

This one will make you want to go for a balloon ride!

Sometimes it’s quite slow getting them off the ground, other times they achieve lift fairly quickly. Here’s why you have to listen to those whistles, oops, I’m focusing on the one slowly taking off and just about got run over again!

It’s the big tourist baskets that are so slow getting off the ground. Come to Albuquerque next year and this could be you!

Another lift-off. This one had just a small basket with two guys. They had plenty of lift, their only trouble was getting the crowds out of the way.

Here’s one I didn’t think was ever going to get off the ground.

At one point I got frustrated and whined like a child when my phone memory exceeded its limit, half-way through the first potentially promising video. That was right after I had about got run over, and before I had any good ones yet. John came to the rescue by loaning me his phone. Thanks John!